For a decade, Florida lawmakers have debated whether to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Advocates are trying to circumvent the legislature and take the issue directly to voters.
A sign tells voters in English and Spanish where to vote as Lee County voters wait in line to cast their ballots at Northeast Regional Library in Cape Coral, Fla., on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.A sign tells voters in English and Spanish where to vote as Lee County voters wait in line to cast their ballots at Northeast Regional Library in Cape Coral, Fla., on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Last month, J.J.
Florida is one of 10 states that has not expanded Medicaid, a state and federally-funded insurance for low-income people under the Affordable Care Act. J.J. has insurance because of his disability, but his mom doesn't. She's one of the more than one million people nationwide who advocates say are stuck in a health insurance coverage gap.
The road is long for organizers in Florida, but in every state where Medicaid expansion has gotten on the ballot, it's passed. Nearly a million petition signatures are needed to get it on the ballot in 2026, and then 60% of voters would need to approve it.Alison says she stays awake at night worrying about what would happen to J.J. if she got sick and couldn't afford to go to the doctor.
"You're constantly sort of weighing the odds," Alison says."Is it bad enough for me to go and see a doctor and spend all that money, which then means we don't have money for other things?" Passidomo calls Medicaid a"false government promise," saying insurance isn't the problem, it's access to doctors in the state."If you have insurance, you don't have insurance, you have Medicare, Medicaid—if we don't have enough people to see you, it's not going to make a difference," Passidomo says.
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